Boot-jack



(No Model.) R. B. DBZELL.

BOOT JACK.

No. 427,675. Patented May 13, 1890.

INVENT R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE,

ROBERT E. DEZELL, OF cANToN, New YORK.

BOOT-=JAC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,675, dated May 13, 1890.

Application filed February 14, 1890. Serial No. 340,388. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. DEZELL, of Canton, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Boot-Jack; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bootjack, illu stratin g my inven tion open an d ready for use; and Fig. 2 is a plan showing the same folded ready to be packed for transportation or hung upon the wall.

Similar characters refer to like parts in each view.

A represents an upright or standard comprisinga single bar, preferably of some tough wood, bent at its middle to form a handle portion a, and open at its lower or bottom pprtion to form the two extremities or legs a a 13 represents the foot-piece or clamp, similar in form to the standard A, bent like it at its central or middle portion to form an open or expanded are and passing back to permit the two extremities to be firmly united, as shown, by any suitable fastening means, such as bolts 1) b. This foot-piece or clamp is attached to the standard by means of suitable pivots Z) b, one upon each leg thereof at a suitable distance from the extremity to permit the expanded are to fall within such extremity when the parts of the device are folded together, as shown in 1. The bolted ends of the foot-piece are enlarged or otherwise strengthened, both for the purpose of makinga strong joint and to make a practically non-yielding V-shaped notch, into which the heel of the boot to be drawn off is wedged preliminary to being operated upon.

The construction being as described, the operation of my device is as follows: The boot-jack being opened from the position shown in Fig. 2, is placed in front of the operator with the ends of the standards resting upon the floor, the expanded or are portion projecting forward and the V-shaped notch extending rearward. The operator new steps upon the rear end of the foot-piece with one foot, thus holding it firmly to the floor, at the same time grasping with one hand the handle portion a of the standard to steady the same. The toe of the boot upon the other foot is now introduced into the foot-piece, being placed under the are portion thereof (see dotted line, Fig. 1) and the heel well thrust back into the notch. Steady and sufficient pull being now given to the foot within the boot thus clamped, the foot is easily drawn out, leaving the boot in the clamp.

I am aware that many devices have been previously proposed for drawing'off boots;

but I am not aware that any exist having the simplicity of construction and advantages of mine. Easily and cheaply made, the construction is, notwithstanding capable of all the uses of more complicated and expensive devices; 7

The gist of my improvement, as is readily apparent, consists in a boot-jack comprising the construction herein pointed out-namely, two single bars bent into the forms illustrated and pivoted together to operate as described.

I am aware that prior to my improvement boot-jacks have been made wherein the construction proposed comprised elements similar in function to mine. Such constructions are shown in Patents of the United States, dated March 14., 1871, No. 112,638, and March 21, 1876, No.175,076; but I am not aware that prior to my invention a boot-jack constructed of two integral parts or members, one being the standard and the other the foot-piece, related to each other, as set forth, has ever been proposed. The exceeding simplicity of this construction does not, moreover, interfere with the operation of the boot-jack. On the contrary, being of so few parts, it is less liable to get out of order, is not liable to split or fracture in use, and yet possesses all the advantages of the more elaborate and expensive eonstruetions above referred to, and is at the same time actually stronger and more durable by reason of its simple construction.

Having therefore particularly described my invention and ascertained its nature and mode of operation, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and claim passing back into the V-shaped notoh, as set as my invention, is-

forth. The boot-jack herein described, comprising DEZELL. the bent standard A, having the handle por- ROBERT E 5 tion a and legs ct 0/,111 combination with Witnesses: the bent foot-piece B, pivoted thereto and WORTH CHAMBERLAIN, having the expanded fomvard are portion BERT KIP. 

